


Not the Hero

by randomcheeses



Series: What if? [23]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist
Genre: Canon - Manga, Drama, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-02-20
Updated: 2011-02-20
Packaged: 2017-10-15 19:24:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/164149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/randomcheeses/pseuds/randomcheeses
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Vato Falman is not the hero of this story</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not the Hero

Vato Falman knows he is not the hero in this story. He is not like the Colonel, with his fire and charisma, or like the Elric brothers, with their youthful idealism and noble goals.

(He has always wondered if the Colonel knows just how alike he and Edward truly are. Falman suspects that part of the Colonel does and that is why he delights in tormenting the boy so. No one likes to be reminded of what they were like when they were a teenager, after all.)

Vato Falman is not the daring sidekick in this story. He is not like the courageous Miss Rockbell, ready to march into battle armed only with a wrench, or like Greed/Ling/whatever he wants to call himself, who is fighting against himself to do the right thing. Falman is just an aging soldier who had only received a promotion so that a monster could manipulate the leader that he had put his faith in.

(Not that you could really call reassignment to Briggs a promotion, even if the job did come with a second lieutenant's stripes, since it also came with the job of glorified icicle-clearer. Not that Falman would ever, ever complain about that to anyone who might repeat it in the Major General's hearing. He wasn't suicidal. Usually.)

Vato Falman knows he is not even close to being an important extra. He is just a man who appreciates rules and regulations, a man for whom a well written stack of reports is a thing of a beauty, a man who collects train schedules and plays draughts in his spare time.

(Barry the Chopper had scoffed and insisted on playing chess. Falman had lost every game.)

Vato Falman knows that he is no hero. The monster in front of him has just taken out a tank and Captain Buccaneer with nothing more than swords. If Falman is to pull the trigger, he might as well point the gun at his own head, because that would certainly be more effective than aiming it at the Fuhrer.

The monster smiles slightly, it's tattooed eye locking gazes with him. It can tell what he's thinking, Falman is sure.

"Stand aside, 2nd Lieutenant Falman," Fuhrer King Bradley orders calmly.

Falman looks at the monster, at the deadly calm deranged gaze and knows that if he doesn't follow the order, the chances of him getting out of this alive are slim to none. After all, he is not the hero.

"Falman," the Fuhrer says again, "stand aside."

The only thing he can accomplish here, Falman realises, is to slow the creature down for a few seconds to give the Colonel and the Elric brothers a little more time to defeat the bigger monster that birthed the one in front of him.

The Fuhrer is still walking calmly towards him, sword held comfortably in his hand, blood dripping down his face, and not one crack in the faint smile that never leaves his face.

"2nd Lieutenant Falman," he says for the third time. "Stand aside."

Vato Falman is not the hero. He is just a man who knows right from wrong. So he swallows what he is sure is one of his last breaths and takes careful aim.

"No."


End file.
